Two immediate past governors, Sule Lamido and Martin Elechi of Jigawa and Ebonyi states respectively have been invited for questioning by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegedly diverting funds meant for their states.
While Lamido is to answer questions bordering on alleged money laundering, the allegations against Elechi surround the mismanagement of the State/Local Government Joint Account.
Lamido is expected at the commission’s headquarters for questioning on June 17th, even though his invitation is dated June 9. On his part, the former governor of Ebonyi State, who ought to appear on June 8th, wrote through his counsel that he would be available on June 16th. He sent his son, Nnanna, to explain to the EFCC why he could not make it.
A highly-placed source in EFCC told The Nation that, “We are going to quiz Lamido on allegations relating to money laundering. The EFCC had earlier put one of his sons on trial and secured his conviction.
“We invited three of his children over money laundering allegations too. All the transactions having to do with money laundering were allegedly traced to some companies where ex-Governnor Lamido has interest.
“On Elechi, he will face a team of interrogators on alleged mismanagement of funds in the State/Local Government Joint Account.
“We have had outstanding allegations against these former governors but they all pleaded immunity. Now that they are out of power, we can interact with them.”
The anti-graft agency had in January interogated the Permanent Secretary in the Ebonyi Ministry of Works, Cornelius Onwe; the Accountant General, Edwin Igbele; ex-Commissioner for Finance Timothy Ogbonnaya Odaa; and ex- Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Cele Nwali.
The government officials were all drilled on alleged “illegal deductions” from the Joint Account for a failed Asphalt Project in 13 Local Government Areas of the state by the Elechi administration. Funds running into billions of naira were said to have been deducted from local government accounts.
It would be recalled that on January 29, Elechi’s son, Nnanna, was equally drilled for allegations of his been involved in money laundering.
When contacted, the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, simply confirmed that “We have invited the two former governors for interaction.”
